Want an extra $8,000?  If you’re a first-time homebuyer then we have a nice surprise for you.

Last fall, the Federal Government introduced a financial incentive to prospective first-time homebuyers — an income tax credit of up to $7,500. The rules were simple: you must have been a first-time homebuyer (as defined by not owning a home in the previous three years) and you met certain income restrictions.

The new $8,000 tax credit is available to those who buy between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009. It’s not a deduction, it’s an actual credit.  Unlike the $7,500 first-time homebuyer tax credit introduced last summer; this does not need to be repaid.

First timers who qualify can make no more than $75,000 in adjusted gross income if they’re single or $150,000 if filing jointly. The maximum tax credit is $8,000 or 10 percent of the sales price of the home, whichever is less. Three years residence in the property are required. As always, check with your accountant for details and be sure to submit IRS form 5405 when you file your taxes.

needs a family friendly neighborhood and great schools.  Oh, and it would be nice if her husband didn’t have to spend half his day in traffic.

That started the brain gears working.  Scottsdale huh?  After getting real honest with myself, I realize that I tend to shy away from Scottsdale because I am a self-proclaimed Cheap Mom.  And frankly, in Scottsdale you pay more for your house simply for the name.  Location, Location, right?

But more important to me than money is Family.  And if my husband’s job was in North Scottsdale, I would gladly pay more for a house to simply get more time with him.  Especially knowing how good the Scottsdale School District is. 

So, what are our options??  Family-friendly in and around Scottsdale without breaking the bank, i.e. less than $750k.  Let’s start with Scottsdale itself.  McCormick Ranch is the first to come to mind.  Located along Hayden Rd, around the Hayden/Via de Ventura area, it’s more “central” Scottsdale.  Older homes, which in AZ means prior to 1990, lends a wonderful sense of individuality.  The schools are great, the people are real.  It’s a very highly regarded place for families in Scottsdale.

My next thought if you have to commute to North Scottsdale is a lovely neighborhood in Peoria.  At 75th Ave and Deer Valley Rd., it’s right off the 101 freeway, giving you a nice easy drive.  It’s called Silverton and the location can’t be beat.  Freeway, mall, groceries all within five minutes.  Awesome city pool within walking distance, along with all 3 of the excelling schools.  I sold a home there last year and just loved the great floorplans and the very friendly neighbors.  Prices are very reasonable, especially compared to Scottsdale.  You can get 3,500 sq feet for under $400k.

Lastly, if you wanted to be a little “away from the city”, you might try Anthem.  A brand new community that has sold like hotcakes because of it’s intense focus on family values.  Tons of amenities, good schools, bit of a drive though, about 20 minutes north of Phoenix.

So, what’s your question?  Where do you want to live?  What’s the balance of best commute and best neighborhood and best bang for your buck in this crazy Arizona real estate market??

Check out this one in Greenfield Lakes.  This house has over 3,500 square feet, 4 beds, 2.5 baths, pool with waterfall, 3 car garage, corner lot.  Stunning loft that overlooks the family area, great golf course neighborhood, close to freeways and shopping.   This one is zoned for Greenfield Elementary School, and is a regular resale, not a short sale or a foreclosure.  It’s priced at $299,000

This one is a great basement home in the renowned Agritopia neighborhood.  It has over 3,700 square feet, 4 beds, 3 baths, no pool, huge basement has 2 beds, 1 bath, family room with a mini-kitchen.  In wall vaccuum system, home theater system, amazing neighborhood amenities.  This one is a short sale, but the price is already approved so you’re looking at a typical 45 day close.  Awesome and unique home with a great neighborhood.  Priced at $299,999.

Now this floorplan is amazing.  I know because I sold the same floorplan last year for $500k.  This one is a steal at $375,000 and it’s not a short sale or a foreclosure.  It has 4 bedrooms plus a den, formal living and dining as well as family room and casual dining.  Jake’s Ranch is just a great neighborhood, very friendly.  Great kitchen with tons of cabinets, one of the few single levels you will find with 2.5 baths.  Backyard has 6 fruit trees. 

If any of these great deals in great neighborhoods pique your interest, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send an email.

Since this is a tax credit and not a deduction, it means if you owe $8,000 in taxes at the end of the year, you will then owe nothing.  If you owe only $4,000 in taxes, you’ll get a $4,000 refund check.  Sweet! 

Of course there is fine print.  First of all, the plan starts to phase out for individuals who make over $75k or couples who make over $150k.  Also if you sell your house in three years, you have to pay it back.   The only stipulation on the house itself is that it has to be your primary residence, which makes sense since it’s for first time home buyers only. 

Additional good news if you already own  your home: check with your accountant regarding the big tax incentives for energy saving upgrades.  Now is definitely the time to purchase that solar water heater, extra insulation, new doors/windows, etc.  I talked to one solar heater installer who said his prices will increase March 1st because he anticipates great demand with these incentives. 

Obama also attempted to roll out a plan that’s going to help people on the verge of foreclosure to stay in their homes longer.  Unfortunately I haven’t seen any concrete evidence of it yet, but if I do you can be sure I’ll post it.  My own mom lost her job recently and at 63 is having a dang hard time finding a new one.  I really want her to be able to stay in her home as long as possible so I’m keeping a close eye on it. 

If you hear of any other good news for homeowners, be sure to leave a comment.

I have posted on Ageism before, mostly on how it relates to real estate. I have written how it is easy for clients to trust an older, though less experienced agent vs myself based on the appearance of longevity. The topic intrigues me and I found my brain wrapping around it in a different way today. Apparently we real estate agents aren’t the only ones that have this issue in our midst.

I found myself in dire need of a dentist. My last dentist mismanaged my billing to a point that I had to leave, though I hated to give up the spa-like atmosphere of the office. They even cleaned my jewelry while they cleaned my teeth! I’m telling you, it was posh.

But over Christmas I started experiencing some intense pain and prior knowledge has taught me to handle it asap.

Even though I am five months pregnant. Yes, I know. The thought of a huge needle going into my gums while my baby does gymnastics 18″ below is not pleasant. However, if an infection reaches my gums, it could easily induce preterm labor. Crazy I know. So the need to deal with this was imperative. And here I am, without a clue who to call. I mean, who actually likes their dentist?

My husband asks around and it turns out a buddy of his from high school is now a full-fledged dentist. Um okay. He’s on the plan, he’s nearby. Give it a shot.

When he walks in, my jaw hits the floor. If he graduated with my husband, he’s right around 30. But I still hadn’t planned on this….this….well, let’s just say baby-faced and clean-cut doesn’t begin to describe it. Seriously, does he even shave?!

I swallow my shock and figure, hey people trust me with the largest purchase of their lives, why can’t I trust this guy with my teeth?

The exam goes fine, yes there’s a cavity. Yes it can be fixed easily. I voice my concern that the novacaine makes my heart race and I’m worried about the baby. A concern I have voiced with my 2 other pregnancies and the corresponding dentists. The other guys have responded with, “I promise, it won’t hurt the baby” (a little condescendingly) and proceeded to shoot me up.

This child-doc responds with, “Well that’s because of the epinephrine. If you want to wait a day, I can order anesthetic without it.”. Holy Hell! A doctor who actually listens and then presents an acceptable option?!

Today, the cavity was fixed. I was in and out in less than an hour, even though I was 10 minutes late. His office has been terribly accommodating. And he pretty much has my complete trust now. Regardless of the fact that I don’t even want to know how long he’s been practicing.

Although I have to interject, the funniest moment came when he started humming off-key to the Aerosmith song playing in the background. This is my kinda’ guy!

By the way, his name is Dr. Kris Heap, with Lakeside Smiles at 480-892-1711. Just in case you’re looking for a good dentist in the Gilbert or Mesa area.

The experience has reaffirmed my belief that I may be young, I may look like a child compared to some, but I have the track record to prove my success. And the clients who will back me up. Dr. Heap can add one more to his list as well.

Ahwatukee, pronounced just like it looks, is a small part of southern Phoenix.  Tucked right into South Mountain and bordered by the I-10 freeway on the other, it has great access to Tempe, Phoenix, Scottsdale but has somehow retained it’s small-town charm. 

Now, because real estate is ruled by Location, Location, Location, homes in the Ahwatukee Foothills area catch a pretty hefty price tag, which probably led to my snobbery assumption.  But as my network of moms began to stretch further and further from my own front door, I began to realize that some very family-focused families were residing in Ahwatukee, and certainly lacked the look-down-the-nose attitude. 

I asked 10 year Ahwatukee resident Lorraine G., what she thought of it and I learned a lot.  Lorraine says she “lucked into” her home in the Foothills.  Her husband liked just that aspect, the hill-iness and years later when the kids came along, they realized they were in an incredible school district with tons of other families. 

Lorraine’s favorite things about the area include:  that her neighbors know her kids and vice versa, the huge amount of parental involvement in the schools, and the laid-back, lack of snobbiness (as I blush).  Also, all the holiday festivities…

Chandler Blvd is lit up and the Saturday after Thanksgiving we have the (free) Festival of Lights carnival/beer garden/craft action all day at Desert Foothills Park. A must-do for families. Also, there are (free) concerts in Desert Foothills Park (four a year) which brings out all the families for picnic and you can bring wine/beer. Also the holiday hayrides down Desert Foothills Parkway.

Her kids love having all their friends nearby of course, but they also love the state of the art YMCA.  It has lots of classes, including yoga, and even massages.  And her kids probably don’t appreciate it but their schools are incredibly good.  That area feeds into the Sierra Elementary, Alta Dena Junior High, and  Desert Vista High Schools, who earned 20 perfect math SAT scores this year! 

Ahwatukee is also a hit with the outdoorsy families.  With South Mountain literally in your backyard, you could go on a different family hike every weekend.  Talk about nature walks! 

And when we called it the World’s Biggest Cul-de-sac, we really mean it.  The only way in or out, is on the “Loop”, Warner Rd loops down into Ray Rd.  Just look at a Phoenix map to get the idea.  It really limits crime, and encourages a feeling of community.   

A four bedroom house that feeds into Desert Vista high school, ranges from $199k for 1,900 sq ft, up through $749k for 3,800 sq ft and ALL the bells and whistles.  I know of one home right now, on it’s own cul-de-sac, backs up to the golf course with amazing views and upgrades (including a pool), that is over 5,000 square feet offered at $749k.  It’s a real steal. 

For more information about the area, feel free to contact me.  The World’s Biggest Cul-de-sac is worth a look.

Here’s the perfect scenario for home buyers in this community.  You want an incredibly affordable new home, you have absolutely no need to commute to downtown Phoenix, in fact you prefer to be a little ways away from the busy city so you can take in gorgeous desert views and clean air.  Anthem East is for you.

Anthem East can just barely be called a suburb of Phoenix.  It is south east of Queen Creek, by about 15 miles, towards Florence. 

April W. has lived in this family friendly neighborhood a couple years now and just loves it.   The first things that drew them in, were the community ammenities.  Anthem has a huge park, an ampitheater, picnic tables with ramadeas, and tons of playgrounds and grassy areas.  It is designed to give you the feeling of lots of open space. 

But April’s favorite part of this Phoenix area neighborhood are the bike paths.  They allow for direct access to the shopping centers, under the bridge, so you never even have to be on a street.  Perfect for those kids ready to hit McDonald’s on their own. 

April’s husband has a different opinion.  His favorite part of Anthem East is the huge community center.  There is a large gym with basketball/volleyball courts, locker rooms, a rock climbing wall, a free weights room, a yoga room and lots more.  He loves that all the machines have TV’s with cable on them, you just bring your headphones!  If we lived there, my husband’s favorite feature would probably be the Poston Butte Golf Club. 

April’s kids love the pool.  There is a lap/diving pool along with a beach entry water park with two water slides.  They spent the whole summer there and never had to get in the car. 

While I, on the other hand, paid a hefty price tag to my local gym to take the kids swimming just about every day last summer.  My gym membership was a whole lot more than the HOA fees April pays, merely $82 a month, which includes everything!

April’s family really enjoys the small town feel in Anthem East.  They have lots of great desert views and it’s really quiet.  If this sounds like what you’re looking for, new homes range from the mere $90s for the starter homes to the high $100s for their huge homes.   

As for April and her family, well, I’ll let her wrap it up. 

“This is the first neighborhood I’ve lived in that I can honestly say I don’t think we’ll ever leave.” 

That about says it all.

What the World Needs…

Less traffic and more Cul de Sacs like in Higley Groves….

Less overtime and more t-ball in the park (at Country Lane)

Less Commuting and More Front Porches (like in Agritopia) (not to mention more organic produce fields and farmer’s markets like in Agritopia).  (and more sweet potato fries at Joe’s Farm Grill in Agritopia)

Ok.  The world just needs more Agritopia.